Picker spindle



Feb. 14, 1950 D. B. BAKER ET AL PICKER SPINDLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJan. 20, 1945 D. B. BAKER ET AL.

PICKER SPINDLE Feb.` 14, 1950 F'lled Jan 20 1945 Patented Feb. 14, 1950UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE PICKER SPINDLE David B. Baker, Riverside,and Clarence R. Hagen, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 20, 1945, Serial No. 573,698

13 Claims. 1 l

This invention is a continuation-in-part of our abandoned patentapplication Serial No. 559,556, filed October 20, 1944, which is acontinuation of our abandoned application Serial No. 476,704 of the sametitle, filed February 22, 1943, and has to do with spindles suitable forpicking fibrous materials, such as cotton lobes from the bolls of plantsin the field, and relates more particularly to a novel fabricatedspindle from which a part having fiber-catching barbs is convenientlydetachable and replaceable.

One of the major problems contended With in cotton picking machinesemploying sets of rotatable barbed spindles for picklng the erop is thedulling of the spindle barbs. As the barbs become dull, they lose their"aggressiveness in catching onto the crop lint or flbers, wherefore,ultimately the picking efliciency diminishes to a degree requiringspindle replacement. These spindles have been costly to replace from thestandpoint that the discarded spindles constitute a szable quantity ofmaterial upon which 'there are machined surfaces and elements still insplendid condition. The replacement has also been costly from thestandpoint of time and labor consumed in the operation. In fact, thetask has involved Operations tantamount to a general machine overhaul,since each machine has hundreds of spindles on each of which there is agear or the equivalent to be dismounted from driving relation with adriving part therefor on 'the machine. When these driving parts aregears, they are lubricated; so are Journals in which the spindles aremounted. Heretofore all these lubricated parts have been exposed whenchanging the spindles, so that this operation has also exceeded a merefield operation from the standpoint of excluding foreign abrasiveparticles from surfaces they would injure.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a new pickerspindle structure embodying a detachably associated barb-carryingportion is accomplishable without -removal of the spindles from theirbearings or demeshing of their driving gears.

Still a further object is the provision of a picker spindle structureincluding aspindle pro- 4 jecting exteriorly from a spindle'carrier,and! barb-carrying sleeve movable endwise over the.` outer end of thespindle to facilitate installationl and removal of the sleeve withrespect to'the'*` of a cotton picking machine.

`threads [4 upon the journal member l2.

spindle, together with holding means manipulatable exteriorly of thecarrier to attach or detach the sleeve to and from the spindle.

Still a further object is the provision of a novel spindle structurewherein a spindle has anv exterior bearing portion and an exteriorspindle cap receiving portion between the bearing portion and and an endof such spindle, and wherein a barbbearing cap is detachably retainedand mounted lon the cap receiving portion.

Still a further object is the provision of a spindle structure accordingto the next preceding object, but wherein the spindle is hollow and themeans for retaining the cap on the cap-receiving portion includes atension member extending through the spindle from its opposite end.

These and other desirable objects encompassed by and inherent to theinvention will be better understood from the ensuing specification andannexed drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken centrally through aspindle structure consituting one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken upon the line2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view taken similarly to Figure 1, illustrating a secondform of the invention;

Figures 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken respectvely uponthe lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of a spindle structure embodying athird form of the invention;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 1-1 ofFigure 6;

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure6; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken similarly to Figure 7 andillustrating a modification related to the embodiment in Figures 6 to 8but employing a different attaching means for the barbed cap or sleeve.

The spindle unit shown in Figure 1 is but one of many hundred containedin the pioking assembly This unit, which is designated il), comprises aspindle structure ll which is journaled in a journal housing |2. Thespindle structure Il of each unit IO comprises and is rotated by a bevelgear l3 which meshes with a respective gear of several gears within acarrier housing to which the units IO are secured as illustrated in U.S. Patents Nos. 2,140,631 and 2,440,767. Attachment to the said housing,not shown, is eifected by means of a run of screw Said housing, notshown, has a plurality of threaded openings into which the thread runs|4 of the journal 'members l2 are screwable for anchoring the units IOinto place incident to advancing their gears |3 into mesh withrespective driving gears therefor within the housing. A faceted section|5 of the journal member IZ is adapted for engagement by a `wrench orthe like tov facilitate rotation of fsaid=membe1z in a fashion that. itcan-vv be screwed tightly into its associated threaded opening withinthe gear housing of the carrielxl for the unit I IJ.

Within the journal member |2 there is a bush-l ing IS in which a spindleproper ...ll is rotatably carried. The gear 13 is form'ed integrallyWith..`

the spindle Il. Axial displacement of the spin- Vided or formed asdesired upon the outer periphery of the sleeve 23. A comparison ofFigures l and 2 will reveal that these rows of barbs 34 extendlengthwise of the sleeve and are equally spaced circumferentiall;7thereof.

After the machine upon which these picker units IO are installed hasbeen in operation long enoughfor the..barbs 34 to. losetheir..aggressivenessj' it becomes necessary toreplacethese barbs withothers which are in a, sharpened condition.

.I-Ieretofore, changing the barbs has involved re- `mova1 and discard ofthe spindle l'l upon which they have been formed. With the embodiment ofdie I'l Within the bushing member.:lvisrlimitedx" receiving a slenderstem 22`` which' constitutes means for securing a tapered picker sleeveor cap 23: onto the spi-ndleht'l'. Thel right end of the stem 221f`isthreaded' at 24'forzreceiving a nut 25 and? af'lo'ckvwasher"26i'which`isof suffifcient 'diameter for=abutting fagainst the v-bottomof the-countersink 2| whenf'advanced onto'the Vstem by thetighteningofthe nut.V The opposite end of the stem-22'*is vwelded at 21to lthe '-interior of the sleeve 2'3" sov thatasthe lnut '25 istightened, said' stem 22 and the picker sleeve=23''willf `be ad-U vancedaxially to the right afterthe lockwasher 26-fabuts -the-bottomof thecountersink 21. As.

the sleeve 23 is th-us advanced 4'to the-right,the-= base or largerdia-meter end thereof will be pressed rmly onto an'annu-lar ax-iaiextension 28 of the Wipingzring-H" Rotation of the sleeve 23 relativelyto1the-spind1e=fl is' prevented by the` inwardly :proj-ecting axial'lyextending formations 29' of' a `flnte'd' portion -30 of the sleeve'andvwhichv mesh With the grooves 3| within an axi-all-yribbed portionv32of'thespindle;'see-Figure-2.i In Figure 1 it willi be knoted'that thehol'low fluted'barb-bearing sleeve portion 30 is tapered at the samepitch* as thezren'ia'inderof'the sleeve and' that the ribbed portion 32of the spindle' has a taper of like pi-tch'fi (taperingl away fromthejournalportion l1- toward an end 32a of the spindle -|'l)', Whereforethe ri-bs 2i9f'fitwithn1 the grooves 3 I? throughout their entirelength? Both'thetapered ribbedportion1'32 of' the spinl die and thecylindrical portion. 33-'- between-thetapered portion and the journalportioml'Qi-may be considered as a sleeve-holdingportion of thespind'le;'sinceeachreactsfradiaHy upon: the sleeve 23* to? hold the'same irr` coaxial relation `lWith the'- spindlew Th'ef.:.cylindrical`portion-33g 'of' course-i reacts through'thev fiange 28 forr'the'``wi-pingring' IB*` Inasmuch as the'member 23`1'is closed at its outer'end, .itmay. alsosbe thought of as a .cap al=- thoughitzishereinreferred to as a .sleeversince` it corresponds, functiona'llyv toa 4picke-r sleeve 23 inf-that form:l of the; `invention .shown .inFi'g'ures: 6 to 8.-v

, Four rows'ofzpickerpointeor'ba1'bs=34 lare pro.-y

the invention .shown in Figures 1 and 2, how- ;levenr the' changing orreplacing operation in- `volves only the unscrewing of the bushingmember 'I 2 'from'thamachi'nexand the removal of the units ifl formaking the nuts 25 of these units accessible for unscrewing from the,ends of the stems 22. When this has been done, said stems 22 and thepicker' s1e'eves1'-23`,' respectivelyl welded thor-etc,

may -bewi-thdrawn' fend'wise:from'V 'the spindle' and replacedi'iiby a-'new assembly 'of' picker-fl sleeve' and-l stem: These new assembiiesfamsecured fonto" their 'uriitszlii'-inlthehmanner 'described herein-`above1 simply'byitighteningthenuts 25 'onto their sterns 2'2lincidenttodraw'infgthe sleeves-i23 'intoflf the ax'ial-ly assem'bled position'andL tofl'fie'ctteningV the lock .'washerf'Z 6' =to-preven-taccidentaly` looseninig of' the assembly; Fbllowing -this operation, thereplaced sleeves are'associated :with-*the m-a-'- chine. by iscrewin'gthe:thread`ed---portions M'of the bearingmembers: |`2in=totheir'respectiv'e open-- ings 'in'the-gearing;housing,.fnot' shown,of'the picker. carrier'structure' In' the' secondi :form oftheinvention-villustrated`Vv in Figures 3 .to2'52,.*1those.- parts .whichare substanv tially' identica'lzfto 'parts Jhereinabove described-inconnection vwith the; first: em-bodimentpf the in-= ventionare'indi-'cated-'by thedsam-erespective ref-I- erencecharacters with`aprimeiaddied'rf Tieispindle. H' ofjsthisvsecon-d 'embodi'mentv-has a'much'v deeper-'countersink Zli'i for' the Yaxial: channel 20/1 thanthe' countersinkZl forfthechannell'fi in.` the' spindfletV ;1115..A-`.ta'pered'.portion =3 5 onthe front end ofthe spindiezilfff isfidisposed'zin spacedzrelation with .respectto'r theLpicker sleeve 23';'and `the' back' end,v the: endi: of' 'larger 'diai'n'eter,l of vthissleeve is*y heldI-in''v coax-iialrelation f with i thev -spin'dl'e l11"' by its engagement 'with'i'thehange 2.8*1 of`` the' wiping: ring'I'Blff 'which'l Vin ;turnv restsfl -upon the sleeveholding:portion33"i"of .thewspindie The' sleever23'f'fhasz-a polygonal transversesection, andwhilezit has: fourxrows'rof picker ba1'bs 34"'=corre--sponding tothezbarbs 34:.'ofthe rstembodiment,

these barbsfare :distribut'edf'alongvthe axial' mediansfi of :the .fourbroade'shfa'ces' of `-the polygonal` sleeve. 1.

An internally threaded :member 31 secured--co-- thereto. servesfboth i'asi a- `vmeans -for holding 'the sleeve 'against/1rotation"relativelyvto i the spindl'e:`v and as a mreansf'o'r.causinglthesle'eve to be drawn:

endwise onto and'n.assembled'relation with the spindlei-is accompl'ishedvby 'cooperat-ion 'between' the internally'threaded'fmemberfli'and along machineH-screw :38 'extendingzzoutwardly from :the

spindlei.: This. drawingfiof'fthe; sleeve onto the countersink 2|'through the channeIsZ-.m'jxinthe spindleandzinto:thread'edzrelation,withsad memmam?? sleeve o'r cap is slid onto thefiange 28' of the wiping ring l8', and thereafter the screw 38 isadvanced endwise through the channel to bring the threaded portion 39 ofthis screw into position for meshing with the threads in the member 31so that upon rotation of the screw, it will first be advanced into themember 31 until .the lock washer 26' is brought to bear upon the bottomof the countersink 2|', whereupon continued rotation of the screw Willflatten this lock washer into looking position and Will concurrentlydraw the sleeve 23' firmly onto the wiping ring. It can be seen fromFigures 3 and 5 that the bolt 38 is so associated with the spindletapered end portion 35 as to be a fabricated part thereof, and that thisbolt constitutes a holding means acting through the member 31 tolaterally support the cap 23' coaxially with the spindle. By employingthe hollow tapered spindle requiring no auxiliary means extendinginteriorly entirely to its outer end to provide lateral support, theweight and starting inertia of the spindle assemblies is minimized. Thisis very significant in machines employing fiveor six-hundred spindlessince the engine must simultaneously overcome the inertia of the vehicleand spindles when starting the machine in operation.

Installation and removal of the unit Ill' onto and from a machine isaccomplished in the manner above described with the unit l. Also withthe unit IO', changing of barbs that have been dulled by operation andthus having their aggressiveness diminished is accomplished merely bythe discard of the sleeve 23' and its replacing by a new sleeve. In thissecond form of the invention the discarded material consists only of thesleeve 23' and the threaded member 31, this being less materialdiscarded since the threaded member 31 is of less mass than the rod 22of the first embodiment.

The third form of the invention shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8 will now bedescribed, and this description will be shortened and expedited simplyby designating those parts corresponding substantially to parts in thefirst embodiment by the same respective reference numerals With a doubleprime added.

In this third form of the invention the picker sleeve 23" and theattaching means therefor are of such a design that only the sleeveitself is discarded and replaced when the bards lose theiraggressiveness Moreover, in this third embodiment the attaching meansfor the picker sleeve is accessible for manipulation at the outer end ofthe spindle in the removal and replacement of the sleeve, thus making itunnecessary to remove the unit Ill from the machine as a part of thepicker sleeve replacement operation. The tapered portion 35" of thespindle |1" has keyway slots 44 directed or extending axially thereof indiametrically opposite peripheral portions thereof and is also providedwith a threaded axial bore or recess 45 communicating outwardly throughits outer end 32a. The picker sleeve 23" is tapered at a pitchcorresponding to that of the tapered portion 35". This sleeve is open atboth ends. Four axial rows of picker barbs 34" are provided upon theouter periphery of the sleeve, and inwardly swaged portions 40 (keys)are slidable into the keyway slots 44 of the spindle where they serve askey members for preventing relative rotation of the spindle and sleeve.A headed attachment member 4| is used for detachably holding the sleeve23' upon the spindle. This member 4| has a head 42 abuttable against theouter end of the sleeve when a threaded shank 43 of said member isturned into the threaded recess 45 of the spindle to press the inner orbase end of the sleeve against the wiping ring |8'. 51'. Said head 42 ofthe headed member 4| has a contour complemental to and extending incombination of the outer peripheral contour of the sleeve 23". A numberof facets 46 are formed upon the head 42 to facilitate the engagement 10therewith of means for rotating the member 4| to either tighten orloosen the same in the threaded recess 45 of the spindle.

A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 9. Theembodiment herein lillustrated has certain parts oorresponding to thosein Figure 1 embodiment, wherefore these common parts are designated bythe same respective reference characters with the addition of the letter"a.

The spindle |1a formed integrally with the gear |3a extends completelythrough the journaled member |2a which has separate axially spacedbearing members 6| and 62 therein. A cylindrical bar or journal portion63 of the spindle |1a vis journaled in these bearings 6| and 62. Betweenthe journal portion 63 of the spindle and the outer end 64 thereof,there is formed an axially tapered sleeve or cap-receiving portion 65. Asection 66 of the spindle between the portions 63 and 65 supports amoisture and dust guard ring 61. Serrations 10 on the section 66 areforced into the inner periphery of the guard hub to positively rotatethe guard with the spindle.

The barbed sleeve or cap 23a is formed from a solid piece of round barstock. It is tapered on its outer periphery and is made hollow by boringOperations that can be performed by an.

automatic screw machine. A tapered portion 68 of the bore 69 enters thecap 23a from its enlarged diameter base or root and is shaped with apitch corresponding to the pitch of the tapered outer end portion of thespindle so that the inner periphery of the cap will seat uniformly overa large contact area with the spindle when these parts aretelescopically assembled as illustrated in Figure 9. The counterbore 1|of reduced diarn'eter in the barb bearing cap is threaded at 12 formeshing with the threads 13 upon an end of an anchorage member in theform of a long machine bolt 14. The shank of this bolt is sufiiciently7long that the head 15 thereof can remain at the driving gear end of thespindle while the threads thereof are turned into the threads 12 fordrawing the cap firmly onto the tapered porl tion of the spindle in theaforesaid seated relation.

While it is contemplated that the machine bolt 14 may be manipulated forits seating the tapered portions of the cap and of the spindle withsuffi- 60 cient force to prevent relative rotation of these parts, weprefer to provide a greater assurance that the cap and spindle are notrotated relatively with the consequent loosening of the threadedconnection between the bolt and the cap. Additional means for preventingrelative rotation between the spindle and the cap comprises componentsrespectively upon the spindle and cap, the component on the spindlebeing in the form of an axially extending peripheral sec- 70 tion 15receded radially inwardly from the general circumferential outline ofthe tapered portion 65. This radially receded portion is illustrated asa keyway slot. The component upon the cap 23 is an inwardly deflectedsection 11,

V and in the form illustrated this inwardly defieeted' seetionsconstitntesf-akeyff' dispsed twithin'z: the zslot'. 16.. r

Eachzofithev embodiments sherein' describe'd die-i.A minishesz the' number: :ofi :Operations .necessary fort:

changing the ;wornrbarbsuofafpickerspindle. unitg'.l

since-.none of theminvolves astep-tof'removin'g:l the :spindle from.theiassociated journal: member 1 as: .l 2 Each has the.furtherfiadvzantage of: dim'in-L- ishingvxthe amount: Hofzfmateri'ab`discarded* ;Wheni the spindle` barbsz are"- replaced: and: als'ofztheamount: of material upon. which: machine i'ope'rae f tions and otherworkhave::been' 1ferfiorm'ed;M The: third: embodimenthas the.l still'further .advantage of: making :it possible to zchange'the:spindl'efbarbsif.

without l'emovalt of the"spindle'unitfromfzthe -maa china: since. theparts manipulatabl'efor remov-y ing and. reassembling :the 'picker'sl'eev-e -1 are fi'ac-.vV cessibleifrom. thezouterend'i'of-ftl'lespindl'efi` A* machine equipped with a spindle structureof; af' type 'correspondingxf' tor the? thirdV embodimenther-einillustrated would be `sus'eeptfble :of'lfhaving 2 thezbarbschanged in the vfi=`,`1d1,si-nce 'the opera-M tions .involved'are' few.and simple andfdo not* require -the exposure' of' anylubricated parts:

While we have' hereinfshown'and described'-v a limited number of."embodiments of` :the 'i invention', it? should =be= understood 'that'the' inv-ention':I extends to other embodin'ients,forms,lmodifications,`structure, and 'details fallingvfwithin' the.` scene and :spiritthereof` "and not'v vsacrificing -a1'l1' its material advantages.`

Whatis cla'im'ed is:

l. A picker spindle'f structurecomprising-'a1 spindlehavingaxia'lly'spaoed journal and sleevehol'dingz'portions and an axiallyextending keyway slot,l the.` sleeve-holding portion' beingtapered,a:picker.sieeve'disposed on and about saidfsleeve-holdingportion' and tapered intern'all'y to conform tosuch taperedsleeve-holding` portion;.and a key comprising a,` portio-n of saidsleeve projected inwardly -into said slot.

' 2.':A .picker spindl'e structure comprising' a spindle' havingopposite ends and axially sp-aced journal and sleeve-holding portions ofwhich the latterflis tapered away from-the journal portion toward .anfend of the spindle and contains an axially extending keyway s1ot,'anaxially'tapered" she1l-1'ikepicker sleeve of which both the inner` and.outer peripheries have a taper pitch generally corresponding to that ofthe spindle tapered portionso the 'sleeve is assemblable on the spindleWith said inner tapered peri-phery on the periphery ofthespindle'tapered portion, a key comprising an winwardly 'projected'portion of 'the sleeve for L occupying said slot while the sleeve isas-- sembled on the spindle, and means for detachably" maintaining thesleeve in its assembled relation on thespindle.

3."A picker spindle structure comprising a spindl'e havingl` a journalportion, an exterior sleeveorcap-holding portion disposed betweensaidjournal 'portion and an end of such spindle, and' an axialborecomn'iunicating outwardly through' said spindle end, said "holdingpo'rtion tapering toward'said 'spindle 'end and containing a'keyway'slot, a hollowf axially tapered barbbearing cap open at its baseendiadjacently to which. the inner periphery has a taper pitch adaptingseating thereof on said cap holding portionof the spindle when'the capand spindle are tele'scopically assembled'a key comprising an inw'ardlprojectedv portion of the cap for occupying 'saidzslotl during suchassembly of the cap and spindle, and'anv anchorage member havingportions disposed within saidfcap'and said' spindleboreffor'rreleasably: connecting the. same, to :prevent. accidentalseparationz thereof; from .such as-V sembl.:

4.' A picker z' spindle. structure'` comprisingzzanz- 1 axially boredspindle having a'journal portion; an

;extending periphe-ralsection receded radiallyfromgthe.: genera.cir'oumferential: .outline offisaidz portiomua holl'ow 'axially taperedbarb-bearingg cap open at its -base end.adjacently'tozwhichthe: inner:periphery has 'a taperpitch; adapting :Seatay` ing'f thereof on?widzew-holding.: portion., of the: spindle, whenfthe. :capaandspin'dlezare =telescopie cal'ly assemb1ed',:`said';caphavingfan:inwardlyrdez i fiected 1 section: stationed' iri" i reg-istry:1* withl ;the'z spindle receded section :during .such assemblyand'ficooperable therewithito. prevent relative otations; of the :spindleVand-102m;andzananchoragemenre ber 'projectedv throughfthe bore 4 of?the'spindlez` from the'opposite :end there'of into. the hO1'l'ow;cap:for vdeta'chable connection' .therewith xtoV zprevent? accidentalendwise 'separation' of. ,thespindleaando cap from' their said'assembly;

5. A picker spindle structure :'-comprisingif an' axially boredzspndlehaving .a-'jo'urnal .portion and ani exterior sleevesorcap-holdihgportionr' ;disposed betweenfsaid .journal porti'on'andiv ani'- end of'such spindle`,-said` sleeve-holding portion' tapering vtoward' said`'spindle end,l a hollowfaxially tapered barb-bearing vcap'open atits'basef end adjacently' to which Vthe inner'periphery has= a taperpitc'h'adapting seatin'g thereof *onfsaid'f cap-holding'portion' of Jthespindle when the "cap" and spindl'e are -telescopi'call'y assembledfmeans comprising components re'spectivelfon said-'tapered' spindleportion'and `lsaidl tapered inner'periphery to resist relativerotatiomof' the oa-p'and'*` spindle thus assemble'd-,Tandan'anch'oragememberprojected through' the boreV Voflfthe-spindle from.the'opposite end 'thereof into* thefhol'low' cap for de'tachableconnection -tli'erewith`ly topre'-` ventaccidental endWisevse-parationof the spindle and cap from-their said assembly;

6. A picker spindle structure-comprising a" spindie' having-a -journa1portion and '-a sleeveholding` porti'on 'between the journal"portionf'andf an'end of said spindle, apicker sleevecof` desiredexterior Contour 'assembl'e'd' fcoaxially'onto': the spindle over saidend'thereof and maintained in such coaxiall assembly and reinf'orcedin'maina taining such' Contour Vby'ra'dial reactionupon'sa'id*vsleeve-'holding portio'n, said sleevebeing sufili' cientl 'long toproject an' outer,` endv thereof' endwis'e Vbeyond-said'spindle end`Whf1e;thus asz sembled' -With 'the i spindle', and `means. projecting;endwise throughf'such outer end" of the sleeve i towar-d and into'detachable engagement'with said'end'of the spindle' forreleasably'retainingr said slee've in non-rotativerelation'with respect.to and upon said spindle.:

7.' Al picker spindle'structure' comprising. a. spindle'havingva-journal .portion and a sle'eveholding portion between the journal'portionand an end of 'said'spin'dlega tapere'd .picker sleeve'z open atboth'V ends and'iplaced coaxially, ofrand. about the sleeve-holdingportfon` with` the. larger. diameter end of such; tapered sleevenearestto. the spindle journal portion,. said 'sle'eve-,holding portionserving'to react` radially in' opposition to'. lateral `displacement fof 'the' sleeve vto maintainl the coaxial relation* thereof; and afasteningg, member-'at' thesmal-ler diameter end of'th'e 'sleev'e'f saidfastening member having a head that is axially tapered to supplement thetapered contour of the sleeve and having a shank projecting in- Wardlythrough the opening in such smaller diameter end of the sleeve into ananchored relation with the spindie.

8. A pcker spindie structure comprising a journal portion and asleeve-holding portion between the journal portion and an end of thespindie, a tapered picker sleeve open at both ends and placed coaxiallyof and about said sleeve-holding portion with the larger diameter end ofsuch sleeve nearest to the spindie journal portion, the smaller diameterend of the sleeve projecting axially from and beyond said spindie endwhile said sleeve-holding portion of the spindle reacts radially uponthe sleeve to maintain the coaxial relation of the latter therewith, anda headed fastening member having a shank extending inwardiy through theopening in the smaller diameter end of the sleeve into detachableanchorage with the spindle and of which the head is tapered tosupplement the tapered contour of the sleeve.

9. For use in a cotton picker spindie structure including a rotatablespindle having a sleevesupporting portion tapering toward an endthereof, and a headed sleeve attaching member detachably securable insaid end of the spindie while projecting endwise therefrom to retain `asleeve thereon; a tapered truncated picker sleeve open at both ends,said sleeve being projectable, base end foremost, onto said spindie oversaid end thereof, the inner periphery of the projected sleeve being ofdimensions to fit onto the tapered sleeve-supporting spindie portion forreinforcing support thereby, the opening in the smaller diameter end ofsaid sleeve being adapted to receive said headed member to accommodateits securement in the spindie for retaining the sleeve on said spindle.

10. For use in a cotton picker spindle structure including a rotatablespindie having a sleeve-sup- -porting portion tapering toward an endthereof. and possessing a surface irregularity, and a headed sleeveholding member detachably securable in said end of the spindie whileprojecting end- Wise therefrom to retain a sleeve thereon; a taperedtruncated picker sleeve open at both ends and having a side wallirregularity conforming to that in the spindie tapered portion, saidsleeve being projectable, base end fcremost, onto the spindie over saidend thereof, the inner periphery of the projected sleeve being ofdimensions to fit onto the tapered sleeve-supporting spindie portion toreceive reinforcement in lateral support therefrom while theirregularities in the tapered spindie surface and in the wall of saidsleeve mesh to preclude rotation of the sleeve on the spindle, theopening in the smaller diameter end of said sleeve being adapted toreceive said headed member to accommodate its securement in the spindiefor retaning the sleeve on said spindie.

11. A cotton picker spindie structure comprising a spindie having ajournal portion and a sleeve-holding portion, a picker sleeve having ahollow open-ended root portion and a hollow conical barb-bearing portionprojecting endwise from such root portion, said sleeve being adapted forcoaxial assembly with the spindie sleeve-holding portion by telescopingthe open-ended root portion thereonto, and sleeve-supporting meanscarried by said spindie interiorly of the assembled sleeve to providelateral support therefor and maintenance of the coaxal relation of thesleeve and spindle, and the hollow barb-bearing sleeve portion being ofa length to project a substantial distance endwise from both the spindieand said sleeve-supporting means.

12. A picker spindie structure comprising a spindle having a journalportion, an exterior sleeve or cap-holding portion disposed between saidjournal portion and an end of such spindle, and an axial borecommunicating outwardly through said spindie end, said holding portiontapering toward said spindie end and containing an axially extendingperipheral section receded radially from the general circumferentialOutline of such cap-holding portion, a hollow axially taperedbarb-bearng cap open at its base end adjacently to which the innerperiphery has a taper pitch adapting seatng thereof on said cap-holdingportion of the spindle when the cap and spindle are telescopicallyassembled, said cap having an inwardly defiected section stationed inregistry with the spindie receded section during such assembly andcooperable therewith to prevent relative rotation of the spindie andcap, and an anchorage member having portions disposed within said capand said spindie bore for releasably connecting the same to preventaccldental separation thereof from such assembly.

13. A picker spindie structure comprising an axially bored spindlehaving a journal portion and an exterior sleeve or cap-holding portiondisposed between said journal portion and an end of such spindie, saidsleeve-holding portion tapering toward said spindle end, a hollowaxially tapered barb-bearing cap open at its base end adjacently towhich the inner periphery has a taper pitch adapting seating thereof onsaid cap-holding portion of the spindle when the cap and spindle aretelescopically assembled, means comprising components respectively onsaid tapered spindie portion and said tapered inner periphery to resistrelative rotation of the cap and spindie thus assembled, and ananchorage member disposed within said cap and said spindle bore andconnected between said spindie and cap for releasably retaining themtelescopically assembled.

DAVID B. BAKER. CLARENCE R. HAGEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 293,484 Mason Feb. 12, 1884902,227 Gray Oct. 27, 1908 1,059,478 Lispenard Apr. 22, 1913 2,440,76'7Baker May 4, 1948

